Comments on: A Tale Of Two Men…

By: PeeJay

PeeJay — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:01:06 +0000

I don’t like Blatter, at all.
But when he sees the Premiership bosses starting to instate something as hideous as GAMÂ£ 39, something that NOBODY whatsoever wants in England, he uses his loud voice to echo the feelings of the rest of us. Blackmailing and threatening may be wrong but when the end product could be that GAMÂ£ 39 actually does come to be then I justify him wholeheartedly. It’s like Bush proposing to bomb Iran and the President of Kuwait saying that Kuwait will stop giving America oil. Yes, it’s blackmailing but that doesn’t mean what he’s doing is wrong.

By: Ahmed Bilal

Ahmed Bilal — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:29:25 +0000

Another Sepp Blatter quote:

“Football is open for everybody, which is why they made a gay competition in South America. And look at women’s football: homosexuality is more popular there.”

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:51:51 +0000

Good points Michael and Ahmed. Its hard to evaluate mental fatigue.
On the other hand, the standard of phisios and medical facilities today is far higher. Also, players get way more protection from referees.
There are a number of differences but I’m loath to give todays players easy access to excuses.

Just compare the take home pay!!!!

By: Ahmed Bilal

Ahmed Bilal — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:34:18 +0000

BD – perhaps it has something to do with mental fatigue as well?

By: SpiralArchitect

SpiralArchitect — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:34:41 +0000

Great article. I’ve been wanting the full background on this for some time now.

Anyone want Platini for FIFA President? Just kidding…

By: michael

michael — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:16:49 +0000

I’m in complete agreement with you, Ahmed. BD, I agree with you about Blatter, and you make some fair points about the decreasing number of fixtures an individual will play in a season, but that’s mostly at ‘big’ (i.e. rich) teams who can afford big sqauds; Aston Villa have only used 18 first team players this season.

However, the trend of increasing squad size and especially increasing squad quality (that is, average quality in a squad, not individual talent) are a necessity due to the increasing physical demands in the game, especially in England. Cruijff used to somke 20 a day, and players used to drink heavily, but in the modern game you can’t get away with that, you need to be in top condition constantly. So the players do a similar amount of work, just spread across a smaller amount of games.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:55:11 +0000

Ahmed, I’ve picked up on the following previously and how the top managers use what I call this ‘myth’ as an easy excuse when it suits them. This time I’ll try and back-up my argument with some facts. (sorry if this doesn’t address the main core of your article)

Quote from your piece above:
“This was in 1998-99 (read the source here), and reading the article I found it ironic that much of the same themes that we talk about today – player burnout, fixture congestion, the need for a winter break in England – were being discussed then as well.”

Many things have changed for the worse in the past 30 years but when people talk about burn-out and fixture congestion for the poor overpaid and overhyped players these days I give you the following:

In 1977 Liverpool won the League, were beaten in the FA Cup Final and won the European Cup. In total they played 62 games that season. They used 18 players, 2 of which played every game and 2 others missed only 1 game.

In 1984 Liverpool won the League, European Cup and League Cup playing a total of 66 games. 4 players, out of a total of 16 used, played in every game.

In 1999 the Man Utd Treble winning team played 63 games using 29 players. One player played 55 games, another 53.

In 2006/7 Man Utd won the League, reached the FA Cup Final and the semi’s of the Champions League. They played 59 games and used 35 players. Most appearances were by Rooney with 51 and 4 as sub.

Last season also Chelsea won the FA Cup and League Cup and reached the semi’s in Europe. 64 games played, 31 players used. Most games played: Lampard 58(4).

OK there are more Internationals these days but the big clubs regularly pull out their top players or get agreement that they will only be used sparingly in friendlies.

Anyway, as far as I’m concerned these stats dispel the ‘poor overworked player’ myth that has been around for some years now.

As regards Blatter: A fat windbag with way too much power and arrogance who winds his way around the globe staying in 5 star hotels and enlarging his oversized gut at expensive fine dining restaurants while flooding the media with his dictatorial lectures on what will and will not be according the the King (as he clearly sees himself).
Over throw the bastard I say!!

As regards your conclusions…spot on. Its a commercial world with the good and bad that that brings and there’s no going back now.